"Thank you.", Jasmine gave a small smile as she continued to be unaware that things were off about her. "Okay, everyone makes sure they're okay... get your things if needed, and then follow me, we'll get out of here one way or another, I promise.", Gwen called out to the group.
J.J Jameson called out, "No way that I'm following you. You are all vigilantes, and you caused all of this to happen!".
Jean took a deep breath and glared at him, "We saved you and just over 50 people! Do you want to say no to those fathers and mothers right now, with those children? Do you want to put suffering on those people? To make them wait, when we want to help them get out so they can eat, drink, and reunite with their loved ones?".
Peter widened his eyes, whispered, "Damn, she's on a roll.", standing next to Gwen. "No kidding.", Gwen whispered back. "There's reasons why I try not to get her angry.". Peter nodded in agreement as Jean continued to stare at Jameson.
"Well?", Jean finally asked as the man closed his eyes and nodded. "Fine...", Jameson said in a hushed tone, obviously sounding defeated.
Also probably had some to do with the look of disgusted stares from many of the other people who could easily see how much of a selfish and arrogant person he was showing himself. To be blaming the heroes for Norman's actions?
Jean nodded before smiling, "Good. Now for the sake of the children, we will walk 15 minutes, take a break, and repeat, for you all to check on cuts, bandages, drink and eat rations of whatever you got in your bags. Is that all right with all of you?".
The big group happily agreed with nods and murmurs of 'yep', 'sounds good' and all. Peter then called out, "Then let's move out, people!", and so, the mass group moved on, with Peter and Jasmine scouting up ahead, with Gwen and Jean at the back, and this went for an hour before Jasmine heard a little girl ask her father, "Daddy, I need to go potty...".
Jasmine realized that she really needed to go, feeling pressure on her hips and vagina, and nudged Peter, "I think it's time for another break. We have some debris around here for privacy.".
Peter had heard the girl's words too, and nodded, and turned around, calling out, "I know it's not normal or comfortable, but if any of you need a bathroom break, use the debris for cover.".
"And if you really have to go, don't try to keep holding it, thinking we'll be out soon. It might be several hours before we can escape so go when we hit a break.", Jean added. Gwen glanced back at Jasmine as she still had her hearing and noticed something was slightly off with her. Something she strangely hadn't noticed before.
The group nodded, splitting off into several lines of men, women, and children, to find cover, while the team went to another large piece of debris, with Peter perched on top, giving the girls privacy.
Gwen and Jean sighed in relief as they did their business, with Jean whispering, "Thanks, Jasmine, I really needed that...", with Jasmine smiling at her, "No problem, Solaris.", going to remove her shorts, and going to do her business.
She sighed in relief as she peed before frowning lightly as she realized that she's having number 2, and she went to work on it, unknowing that her first child-kitten is moving into the birth canal, and she shouted in pain, falling on her hands and knees.
"Shadow!", the girls went to check on Jasmine, and she shook her head, "I think that wasn't number 2...Something's wrong...", feeling the pain and aches coming back in full power, and Gwen replied, "I can't tell what is, but it sounds like it's stuck or something...", frowning in confusion, unknowing that Jasmine's shout of pain was echoed through the tunnel.
Peter leapt down to their side, "Do you want help, Shadow?", and Jasmine whispered, "Please...", and Peter nodded, and Jean looked at him, whispering, "Get Dad...I trust him, not a stranger.".
Peter felt a bit hesitant for a moment but decided to hell with it. Better him finding out rather than some stranger. "Just hold tight, I'll be right back.", he said as he went back to the group of civilians. "Um, can I get one of you medics to come over here? We've got an issue... you...", he pointed to Jean's father.
Phillip blinked before nodding, picking up his paramedic bag. Thank God that he saved it on his person when everything happened...Sure, it's not as full-service medical stuff like a doctor, but he managed to help bandage a few children's cuts, a sprained arm, gave a back-up insulin shot to a woman, and gave some pain sickness pills throughout the past few breaks, even if he was off duty, he always is determined to help.
He honestly thought he was to die, to not say 'I love you' again to his wife and daughter, to ask his wife to consider being intimate again as their anniversary is coming up. He would always thank the team for saving all this group of people, even that Jameson jerk and that Norman bastard.
Phillip followed Peter until they were right where Jasmine and the others were. "We don't really know what's happening, something certainly not normal, that's for sure.", Peter explained.
"Okay, just give me a minute then...", Phillip nodded. "It's nothing physical regarding like an injury you've just sustained, is that right?".
Jasmine shook her head, "No...I have been having aches and pains almost all day, and I got exhausted a while after lunch, and I ate a lot of hot dogs as I was very hungry...I thought it was a number two, but the pain is so different...".
Phillip frowned in concern, "How different?", and Jasmine replied, "Like it's frequently happening now, and there's pain in the back and abdomen..." as she looked miserable, sitting up with the girls' help.
"Sounds like kidney stones to me. Are you having pain when you move?", Phillip asked, and Jasmine nodded, "Yes!".
Phillip replied, "Spiderman, ask for water. Water usually helps the kidney stones get along with some pushing.", and Peter nodded, nearly sprinting from the spot from behind the debris privacy screen, widening his eyes in surprise when he literally saw a few people including a child holding out water bottles with concerned smiles, as they do admire Shadow Claw.
"Thanks.", Peter smiled under his mask as he took one of the water bottles before handing it to Phillip. "Okay, here you go...", he said as Phillip nodded.
"Alright then, start drinking and we'll see if anything changes in a few minutes.", Phillip said as Jasmine gave a very painful looking cramp and cried out in pain.
"It hurts!", Jasmine sobbed, and Jean shushed her, "Breathe. You heard the medic. Drink some of the water.", as she took a deep breath, nodding, drinking half of the water bottle as she groaned softly, pushing.
She felt the object, kidney stones moving through her, still unknowing that she's pushing her first child-kitten through her birth canal, for the next few minutes, "It's moving down!", and Phillip nodded, "Good, keep pushing!".
Jasmine took deep breaths between pushes for a bit longer before crying out in pain as she felt a burning sensation, "The pain, it's burning!", and Phillip replied, "That means you're close! One or two more pushes should alleviate the pain!".
She nodded, tears falling, and grunted, pushing, and Phillip nodded, "That's it!", prepared to grab the kidney stones with his gloved hands before widening his eyes as he didn't see the significant tan or dark shade of kidney stones, but the thinning membrane of a baby emerging out, "Oh, god, it's a baby!".
"WHAT!?", all four heroes screamed as Jean quickly tried to make sure that none of the others in the group were drawn to the attention, especially now that it was revealed that Jasmine was giving birth.
"You... you were pregnant this whole time?", Peter whispered, stunned and almost on the verge of crying with joy at the thought since he obviously knew he was the father.
Jasmine sobbed, "I never knew that I was pregnant!", tears falling in joy and shock, looking down at the emerging baby, and Phillip replied, "One more push, Shadow Claw!".
Jasmine pushed, crying out in pain as the baby popped free, and Phillip ripped the membrane away, "It's like you!", and Jasmine instinctively reached out, grabbing her baby, licking her baby's fur the wrong way as she pushed Jean out of the way, curling up with the baby in her arms, laying down, with tears still falling on her cheeks.
The baby-kitten gave out a squealing cry, and Jasmine sobbed happily, hearing the first cry of life, "Mama's here, mama's here...", as Gwen suddenly now can see teats appearing on Jasmine's belly, and underneath, she heard three, not one, not two, but three more heartbeats inside her belly.
The newborn baby-kitten is having folded ears, closed eyes, yet it's lively, sniffing, squealing, belly-crawling on its human-tiger hands and feet, having a tail, having a dark brown pelt with black stripes, with pale tan skin here and there, having Jasmine's cat-like nose, and Peter's dimples.
Jasmine looked up at Peter with an overjoyed, tearful smile, "It's a girl, Peter...", nuzzling her kitten lovingly, cleaning her warmly as she squealed, sniffing as she dug into her mother's warmth, searching for that delicious smell before finding it, and latched onto a teat, treading her paw-like hands as she drank her mother's milk.
"How did that happen? I didn't have teats before...", Jasmine was in awe, still in shock yet so much joy, and Jean replied, "I don't know, but oh, she's perfect, Jasmine...".
Gwen replied, "She sure is, and she won't be alone either...You have three more waiting to be born.", with a smile. "Three?", Jasmine whispered in shock as Gwen nodded.
"I don't know why I couldn't notice before, but somehow... yeah, there's three more little souls that are wanting to be born.", Gwen smiled with a teasing glance at Peter.
Peter widened his eyes, shocked that he's so potent in impregnating Jasmine, but seeing his first daughter, their first daughter as she belongs to all of them, she's clearly healthy, lively, and hungry, and he pushed up his mask partway, kissing Jasmine on the forehead, "You're already a great mother...She's beautiful like you...".
Phillip replied, "Wow...I guess this classifies as a cryptic pregnancy where you didn't know you were pregnant the whole time...", glad for the homework he did back in medical school before widening his eyes as he remembered what Shadow Claw called Spiderman, and back with Solaris to Shadow Claw...
He breathed in shock, looking at Solaris, seeing it now, whispering, "Jean?", and Solaris gave him a small smile and nod before she kissed Jasmine's forehead. He exhaled in shock, realizing that his daughter, his daughter and her lovers saved him and the others in the group, watching the obvious love between Jean and the others towards Jasmine and their baby, and he then smiled approvingly, realizing that he actually technically has a grandchild, a granddaughter...
Wow, the family gatherings are going to be crazy, but he didn't care what anybody thinks about his family...Yes, his family grew, and he nodded, determined to prove to Jean that he belongs in this incredible, amazing family.
Jean heard her father's loud thoughts, and tears fell under her mask, happy to have her father's approval and love for all of them. Peter whispered softly, "Your dream names...What are you gonna call her?".
Jasmine licked her daughter's head gently as she suckled, whispering, "Dariya...my little river...Beautiful little Riya...", her heart swelling in joy as she truly is able to be a mother, it's a miracle... Peter smiled happily, gently rubbing his daughter's back, seeing the fur drying quickly, "It's perfect...".
Little Dariya soon hiccupped, burping, and Jasmine chuckled, licking her daughter's belly as Dariya squealed in delight, purring and patting at Jasmine's nose despite a couple of senses down for the time being, and then fell asleep.
Phillip replied, "Sorry to interrupt, but we better get on going if we need to give this little lady some fresh air and all, not that this old subway tunnel has air and such, but this isn't the place to be safe.".
"Right... last thing we want is to give her any allergies... this place is far from sanitary or sterile.", Peter nodded as Gwen and he helped Jasmine up, while cuddling Dariya close while Phillip turned his attention to Jean.
"Dad...", Jean whispered as he gave a small smile, "Look, we'll talk about all this when we get out, alright? But... please quell this thought now, I'm not making the same mistake as I did last time with you. Don't fear me casting you away...".
Jean smiled widely, whispering, "I may be wearing a mask, but I'm so happy...", hugging him quickly with a kiss to his cheek. Phillip smiled even more, chuckling, "That, I don't doubt.", before nodding, emerging out from the spot to look at the mass of people, "We all have hope, everyone. It was an unexpected surprise, but Shadow Claw is a new mother. Don't crowd her or distress her out. She's still a tiger lady, and still pregnant, so she will be protective. Be nice, and even if the baby can't hear or see yet, the little lady will be stressed out if she feels scared, is that clear?".
The group nodded. Jameson observed Jasmine coming out with the baby-kitten and was hesitant to do anything but follow after the judgmental looks he got.
And Osborn was not looking to give his captors a chance to knock him out or grab some bricks and cave his skull in. "Everyone, just keep following us...", Gwen called out as the group kept moving.
Jasmine walked next to Peter, with Jean and Gwen leading the way, totally in love with her daughter, unable to resist watching Dariya sleep in her arms, with Peter holding an arm over her shoulders, watching Jasmine and Dariya often while glancing to check the way ahead, his mask hiding his emotions from everyone, but it was obvious in his body language that he is clearly the father.
After 15 minutes, another break came, and Dariya was hungry again, suckling and trying Jasmine's breast for the first time, enjoying another snack...Jasmine exhaled deeply as she can feel the familiar pressure on her hips again as she rested on a rock.
"You okay, Shadow?", Peter asked softly, and Jasmine smiled at him warmly, "Just one of the other babies getting ready...I think it will be soon...".
Peter nodded, "Okay, tell me when you're ready.", and Jasmine nodded, "Of course.", before glancing at one of the children looking at them before gasping and ducking behind her mother's pants, and the mother smiled, "It's okay. It's natural for the little one to feed.".
Jasmine chuckled warmly, "Well, not exactly normal per sec, but it works either way with me being a tiger lady. Little one, why don't you come closer to meet the newest member of the team?".
The little girl piped up, "She's not scared?", and Jasmine shook her head, "No, she's not scared.", and the little girl looked up at her mother who smiled, "Go on. Just be quiet as possible.".
The little girl nodded, walking from behind her mother's pants, and walked closer, and blinked in awe, "She's awful pretty and cute...".
"Yes, she is...", Jasmine sighed as she took a deep breath to prepare herself. She gave the little girl a smile as Gwen was glancing around. "Any luck on the exit?", Peter asked her as she gave a slight nod.
"Sort of... still a bit of a way, but I think we'll get close to one of the mainlines. Only hope is that all the traffic has been stopped so we won't have to worry about any subway trains coming through. But right now, this is one of the abandoned lines. We're just lucky we're not in one of the really old ones buried deep underground.", Gwen replied.
Peter nodded, and the little girl asked curiously, "How come her ears and eyes are closed?", and Jasmine smiled, "Tiger cubs are born blind and deaf, and they slowly develop into their bodies...This one is more special as she can crawl and feed like a baby when she's not acting like a cub, and of course, bigger than a newborn tiger cub, but she's lively and active just the same.".
The little girl nodded, "Is that why she's like you, but all fluffy and small?", and Jasmine chuckled, "That's right.". The little girl then asked, "Were you all surprised when she came, and are you big-happy to have more babies? Mommy told me that tigers sometimes get more than one like people.".
"To answer your first question, yes, we're very surprised.", Peter chuckled. "And yes, we're very happy for more.", he said as he kissed Jasmine's cheek, even though it wasn't as good since he still had the mask on for the moment.
The little girl giggled softly before her mother called her, "Come on, darling, the break's done, let's go.", and the little girl came back to her mother, and Peter helped Jasmine up, "She's still hungry, huh?", watching Dariya suckle.
Jasmine chuckled softly, "I think she got your appetite.", and Peter gave a soft laugh, "Couldn't blame her after having a bizarre day today, and all.", as they followed the group.